1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to cutting machines such as bandsaw machines, hacksawing machines, circular sawing machines and abrasive cut-off machines, and more particularly, the present invention pertains to apparatus for vising and feeding workpieces or materials to be cut and for removing and separating cutting oil and cutting chips in cutting machines.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are a variety of cutting machines such as horizontal bandsaw machines, hacksawing machines and circular saw machines which are each provided with a cutting tool such as a saw blade to cut metallic materials such as steel bars. In such cutting machines, workpieces or materials to be cut are held by a vise means which has a pair of fixed and movable jaws to grip or clamp the workpieces therebetween during cutting operations. Also, automatic cutting machines for cutting generally elongated workpieces are provided with two vise means, one of which is often referred to as the front vise or stationary vise and the other which is often called the rear vise or movable vise. The front vise is fixedly disposed to clamp and hold the workpieces being cut at the cutting zone where cutting is performed by the cutting tool, while the rear vise is movably provided to clamp and feed the workpieces into the cutting zone. More particularly, the rear vise clamps and brings the workpieces into the front vise which has opened its jaws at the cutting zone and then it is returned to its original position after the front vise has gripped and clamped the workpieces. Also during cutting operations in cutting machines, cutting oil or coolant is continuously applied to the cutting tool and the workpieces being cut in order to facilitate the cutting action and prolong the life of the cutting tool. Of course, it is necessary to remove cutting chips which are produced from the workpieces being cut during cutting operations in cutting machines.
In the cutting machines of the above description, it is necessary that the clamping surfaces of the fixed jaws of the front and rear vises be completely aligned with each other so as to enable the cutting tool to make an accurate cutting action. Heretofore, however, it has been very difficult and time-consuming and accordingly costly to make the clamping surfaces of the front and rear vises completely aligned with each other when assembling the cutting machines.
Another conventional disadvantage with the cutting machines has been that the cutting oil and the cutting chips will splatter and get dirty during cutting operations on and near the cutting machines. Therefore, it is desirable that the cutting oil be effectively collected to be reused and that the cutting chips be easily removed and collected from the cutting machines.